“How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?”
He declareth that their words which would diminish anything from the justice of God, is but as a puff of wind that vanisheth away.
“If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression; for: Heb. in the hand of their transgression”
That is, hath rewarded them according to their iniquity: meaning, that Job ought to be warned by the example of his children, that he offend not God.
“If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;”
That is, if thou turn betime while God calleth thee to repentance.
“Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.”
Though the beginnings be not so pleasant as thou wouldest desire, yet in the end thou shalt have sufficient occasion to content thyself.
“For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:”
He willeth Job to examine all antiquity, and he shall find it true which he here saith.
“(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:) nothing: Heb. not”
Meaning, that it is not enough to have the experience of ourselves, but to be confirmed by the examples of them that went before us.
“Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow without water?”
As a rush cannot grow without moistness, so cannot the hypocrite, because he hath not faith, which is moistened with God’s Spirit.
“Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web. web: Heb. house”
Which is today, and tomorrow swept away.
“He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.”
He compareth the just to a tree, which although it be removed out of one place unto another, yet flourisheth: so the affliction of the godly turneth to their profit.
“If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee.”
That is, so that there remain nothing there to prove whether the tree had grown there or no.
“Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.”
To be planted in another place, where it may grow at pleasure.
“Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing. rejoicing: Heb. shouting for joy”
If thou be godly, he will give thee occasion to rejoice, and if not, thine affliction shall increase.